On February 24, 2022, the Russian leadership led by Vladimir Putin unleashed an aggressive war against Ukraine. In the eyes of the world, this war crime was committed on behalf of the entire country; in other words, by all Russians.
As citizens of the Russian Federation, against our will we became responsible for the violation of international law, for a military invasion and for massive loss of life. The enormity of the crime that has been committed leaves no place for silence or passive dissent.
For those who grew up on the ideals of a world free of Nazism, a war of aggression is the most terrible and shameful thing possible. Non-resistance to such a war is the same as aiding and abetting it. And resistance is the only possible and proper course of action.
The Russian Anti-War Committee is based on a simple principle, one that is very important for us. There is a clear difference between Russians who are involuntary participants in Putin’s adventures, and those who consciously assist Putin’s regime in fratricidal aggression.
We bear moral responsibility for failing to prevent the war, for allowing the treacherous attack by Russian troops on a neighboring country. But the direct participants in the invasion – the generals who devised the plan and Russia’s political leadership – should be labeled as war criminals. Each and every one of them individually, and all of them together, must be punished for what they have done. There is no statute of limitations for the crimes they have committed, and they must receive their just desserts, no matter how long the world and their victims may have to wait for it.
The Russian Anti-War Committee appeals to governments of the world to take a principled stand with regard to these violators of international law.
The Anti-War Committee appeals to all true patriots of Russia to consolidate in the fight against the aggressive dictatorship of Vladimir Putin, regardless of any political differences, ideological differences and personal sympathies or antipathies.
Members of the Russian Anti-War Committee:
- Mikhail Khodorkovsky, philanthropist
- Garry Kasparov, politician, 13th world chess champion
- Sergey Aleksashenko, economist
- Sergey Guriev, Economist
- Yuri Pivovarov, historian, member of Russian Academy of Sciences
- Yevgeny Kiselyov, journalist
- Vladimir Kara-Murza, politician, historian
- Dmitry Gudkov, politician
- Boris Zimin, entrepreneur
- Yevgeny Chichvarkin, entrepreneur
- Viktor Shenderovich, writer